Do Doc Martens Run Big, Small or True to Size? – [How do They Fit]

Cushioning, comfort, durability, and style; you get all these features when you think about Doc Martens. But, when it comes to their sizing, and you’re on the verge of buying your favorite Doc Marten shoes, many questions regarding their sizing pop out in your mind, like: do Doc Martens Run Big? How do they fit? Are Doc Martens true to size?

Well, I’m not going to say 100% YES or NO for each of your queries regarding Doc Martens sizing. However, in general, Doc Martens runs true to size, but your heels might slip in the foot due to which you’ll have to put insoles or use heel grips to prevent heel slip. If you’re in-between foot sizes i.e., half size, I’d suggest you go for a size down in Doc Marten boots. Doc Martens have a little wiggle room in a toe box. But according to the wearers, they need some time to break in. So, it would be better to stick with your size.

Since the inception of this brand in 1952, Doc Martens have had the innovative ability to change trends and bring style to boots to meet the demands of the worlds’ rapidly changing fashion trends and conform to your growing needs of comfort, cushioning, and durability.

From a mere work boot idea to a vast stream of several styles in the form of shoes, sandals, and boots, Doc Martens have cemented their place very well in the footwear industry.

Doc Martens have a thick sole with air cushioning and a high back for support. Solid construction, spotless look, and optimum comfort are the key features of their different footwear products.

So, after interviewing several Doc Martens’ users and participating in discussions on relevant forums, I’ve curated significant findings for Doc Martens sizing with some examples to help you understand better about their fit and clear your confusion.

So, stick here, and see what I’ve covered for you in this Doc Martens sizing guide.

Also Read: Dress shoe size vs sneakers

How Do Doc Martens Fit?

Doc Martens are one of the best work shoes to wear while standing all day to provide sufficient comfort and stability. Here the quick 3 points that describe the correct and comfy fit of Dr. Marten boots:

• Your toe doesn’t get cramped and hit the toe box
• Your heels don’t get slipped
• Fit should be snug and comfortable
• If you go a size up, it’ll mainly change the only length of the shoe, and the width will remain the same

After interviewing several Doc Martens’ users and carrying out a survey on relevant discussion forums, I’d say, in general, if you go for a normal size which you wear in other shoes, your toes will fit comfortably in the toe box.

But after walking around, you might feel some heel slip which isn’t good as far as stability is concerned. Moreover, Doc Martens stretch after some weeks of breaking in, so you’ll start your normal size big in Dr Martens.

On the other hand, if you go for a size down, like if you wear size 10 and you buy size 9 in Doc Martens, they’ll fit uncomfortably snug initially around the tongue if you have wide feet.

Initially, your toes will start hitting the front of the shoes, and you’ll start thinking about going for a size up.

But, thanks to the premium leather quality of their shoes, after some weeks of wearing them around the house to break in and applying different shoe stretching methods, you’ll start feeling a comfortable fit around your feet.

If you ask my opinion, if I were you, I’d not go for a size down as Doc Martens take a couple of weeks to break in and stretch out due to which blisters start forming on the feet. The only problem in the true to size is the heel slippage. You can resolve it by putting the orthotic inserts or heel grips to prevent the heel from slipping.

Doc Martens Fit Based on Different Styles

The above explanation regarding Doc Martens’ fit was a general one that you’ll observe in most Dr. Martens boots. If you want to know their specifically for different styles, read this guide until the end as I’ll give some examples that’ll make all your confusions clear.

Doc Marten has designed the shoes based on the different types of lasts. It has been estimated that ninety percent of the people have different measurements across all dimensions like heel to the ball of foot, instep, heel width, etc. Due to this reason, shoe companies have designed their signature lasts to make ready-to-wear collections.

Doc Martens also have three most common lasts.

• 59 last – Classic unisex shape with less toe room. Dr. Martens have labeled them as classic boots.
• Comfort last – Extended toe and plenty of room in the toe box
• 84 last – Narrow fitting with a tapered toe

Based on the different types of lasts, I’ll discuss some examples to help you understand better about Doc Martens fit.

Do Doc Martens 1460 Run Big or Small?

Doc Martens 1460 run true to size. These shoes are made on 59 last. After going through some reviews, I found that for men, Doc Martens 1460 boots run true to size. But for women with narrower feet, they may have to go for a size down for these Dr Marten boots.

These boots have a unique design and have been around for a long time. Even though the 1460s are an old favorite, there’s still a lot going on with this boot, from the modified water-repellent coating to the custom high gloss knuckle on the toe.

The 1460s series of boots come in different types. These include:

• Smooth
• Made in England
• For Life

These all vary due to the different leather types. Made in leather are expensive ones due to high-quality premium leather.

The smooth category of Doc Martens is made of synthetic leather, like polyethylene. These are inexpensive shoes. But leather is stiffer and takes time to break-in. Most of the people in the USA tend to buy this category.

Boots falling in the “For Life” category are not of good quality, in my opinion. So, I’m not going to discuss them here as this is what reviewers say about it, users say that the the life category of Doc Martens shoes doesn’t have a decent shape.

Here are the reviews of 1460’s female wearer for your concern that I found on their forum.

I just got my pair of 160 Doc Martens in the smooth category. I’m US.5 size. So, I got U.K size 3 because Doc Martens don’t carry half size, and the website recommends to size down.

And here is the review of a male customer on amazon. As you can see in the picture below, the reviewer says that Doc Martens are hard to break in. But they fit perfectly for him.

I further dived in, checked out reviews on Zappos regarding Doc Martens 1460s fit. Here is the breakdown of sizing reviews.

In unisex shoes like the 1460s, there’s a problem that these shoes are made based on the men’s sizing. That’s why 23% of the customers felt their size bigger, while majority says that Doc Martens 1460s run true to size.

There’s a very less ratio of customers who claim that they run small. But they aren’t. These boots need some time to break in, after which they start giving a comfy fit.

Do Dr. Martens 1461 Run Big?

Doc Martens 1461 run true to size if you generally wear whole sizes. If you wear half sizes in your footwear like 5.5, 7.5, you should buy half a size down for these Doc Marten boots.

The difference between 1461 and 1460 is they are premium leather dress shoes unlike the bootie design with large shank height. These are some of the best dress shoes for overpronation, which provide comfort and maintains your standing posture due to their wide bottom.

The shoes come in both comfort last and 59 last. Originally, Doc Martens make 59 last, but when they outsource manufacturing in China, they began using the ‘Comfort Last.’ You can see the difference between both here.

As far as their size is concerned, here are the following important points that I’ve noted down:

• Since these shoes don’t come in half sizes, if you wear a half size like 9.5, go for half a size down i.e., 9.
• If you have full size like 10 and have standard wide feet, go for the original size. You might feel heel slippage for narrow feet, which you can adjust by placing the orthotic inserts or heel grips. I’d not advise you to go for a full size down as they’ll be too tight around your toes.

Do 2976 Chelsea Doc Martens Run Big or Small?

Doc Martens 2976 Chelsea boots have no lacing option to tighten the shoes if they run big. So, if you wear a half size, I’ll suggest you go a half size down for 2976 Docs. Like for 9.5, go for 9 size pair. Initially, you may feel that the shoes are tighter, but after some days of breaking in, they will be giving a comfy and snug fit.

These boots have close-fitting elastic side panels for a glove-like fit around your ankles. These boots are also available in both 59 and comfort lasts.

The boots made in comfort lasts have plenty of room due to a wide and rounded toe box, due to which you might have to go for a size down. On the other hand, these boots with 59 lasts run true to size for most customers.

Here is what a customer says on Amazon about the half sizes.

My daugther loved them. She wears 7.5. I bought 7 for her, and they fit fine with socks.

Customer review

If you wear full sizes, then you should go for true to size. You can insert orthotics if you find them bigger in the heel area.

Here is what the customer says about the full size.

Do 8053 Doc Martens Run Big?

I went through their reviews on Amazon and found that going a size down would be better for women in 8053 Doc Martens. For men, they run a bit tight initially, but after breaking in, they would be fine.

Their style is just like Doc Martens 1461. But the difference between 1461 and 8053 styles is that 1461 is a classic doc with 3-eyelets, and it is difficult to break in.

Doc Martens 8053 have served as a new addition to Docs’ market with a padded collar and 5 eyelets.

Here’s what female customer says about their sizing.

I usually wear a US7 size. I got US 6 for 8053. I’ve pretty wide and flat feet, and they fit me perfect.

Here’s what male customer says about their fit.

I’ve US 13 foot size. So, I ordered UK 12 and they fit just fine. They are so comfortable.

According to Doc Martens sizing chart, 13 US is equivalent to 12UK. That means it was true to size for the male customer.

I crawled through some comments on reddit for the sizing of 8053 Doc Marten boots. One person comments that he wears 7-7.5 in other shoes. He order 6 size of 8053 Doc Martens, and they fit comfortably with thick socks. There is also a little room in the toe box to wiggle.

Dr. Martens Size Compared to Converse

Converse are mostly high-top sneakers with either leather or canvas upper. Converse sneakers are available in half sizes as well. According to many customers, Converse run tight at instep and toe box and a bit longer. So, they prefer to go for a half size up in Converse shoes to get plenty of room in the toe box.

So, whichever size you’re wearing in converse, go for a size down. If you’ve 10.5 in converse, then go for 10 in Dr Martens.

Do Dr Martens Stretch?

Dr Martens are made of high-quality leather that can easily stretch if you apply the right techniques. The starting days of Dr. Martens shoes require a lot of patience for your side as they’re a bit tight around your toes and Achillies that can cause blisters. So, they need breaking in for a couple of weeks to make the leather softer and adjustable.

Here are the following methods you can apply to break-in Doc Martens shoes and boots to stretch them and fit your feet.

• Blow warm air through the hand dryer on stiffer areas of the boots and press them at angles to stretch the leather.
• If there’s winter, the best way to stretch Dr. Martens is to wear thick socks, stuff your foot in the boots and walk around the house for some days.
• Last but not least, this is a product of Doc Martens that softens the leather and makes it smooth and shiny. One product is Dubbin wax, and another product is Balsam. Apply them on the stiffer areas like the toe box and heel collar. They will soften the leather and enhance its appearance.

Final Thoughts about Doc Martens Sizing and Fit

I hope you’ve got a clear-cut view of the Doc Martens sizing and fit from the examples I’ve given above. Please keep in mind that Doc Martens generally runs true to size, but most people complain because these boots require break-in. I’ve explained different techniques of stretching the Doc Martens so that you can break them in easily.

Furthermore, your heels can slip if you wear a true size. Instead of sizing down, I’d recommend you place your favorite orthotic inserts or heel grips to support your heels.

If you like this sizing guide, please do share it with your friends and share your valuable thoughts and experiences in the comments.